Aaron Boone Explains Reason for Including Edwin Encarnacion in Game 6 Lineup Over Giancarlo Stanton

The New York Yankees won't have one of their most renowned sluggers in the lineup for Game 6 of the ALCS. Giancarlo Stanton is on the bench for Saturday's must-win clash against the Astros, and now Aaron Boone has offered an explanation for his decision.

Boone told reporters that it was entirely his decision to keep Stanton out of the fold for Saturday's game, though he did note that Stanton was "OK."

He later went on to say that Stanton isn't quite ready to be playing in the outfield, so he would only have been a viable option to DH the game.

The only way to utilize both Stanton and Encarnacion would be to make a change in the infield, and despite the four errors accumulated in Game 4, the Yankees feel confident with their infield personnel.

Boone made clear that he's confident in both Stanton and Encarnacion, but his decision to insert Edwin in for Game 6 was due to potential impact. The skipper said that while Encarnacion has struggled of late, he feels that he can leave his mark on the game.

While clearly the decision was not easy, if Edwin struggles on Saturday, many fans will question Boone's decision to exclude Stanton from the starting lineup.